NORTH BERGEN – State Sen. Nicholas Sacco (D-32nd Dist.) and Assembly Budget Chairman Vincent Prieto (D-32nd Dist.) are sponsoring identical bills to prohibit retailers from imposing surcharges on their customers based on form of payment. These surcharges, which are often levied when customers use a credit card or check instead of cash, and can reach as high as 4 percent on a transaction, are already outlawed in New York and Connecticut. They would no longer be legal in New Jersey if the bill is signed into law. The bills are listed as S2550 and A3743, respectively.

“Shoppers should not be hit with unfair surcharges and fees based on how they want to pay and this bill would prevent that from happening,” said Senator Sacco, who represents parts of Hudson and Bergen counties. “These surcharges may seem small but they add up over time and can be especially troubling for seniors and low income residents on tight budgets. This legislation would promote fairness and transparency in retail sales and I urge my colleagues in the legislature to support it.”

“People deserve to know what they will pay when they go to the cash register, not to be hit with unpredictable fees that discriminate against their preferred method of payment,” said Assemblyman Prieto. “This bill would add transparency, eliminate the potential for consumer fraud and protect the rights of shoppers throughout our state.”

Senator Sacco’s bill has been submitted to Senate President Stephen Sweeney for consideration and assignment to a committee, as has Assemblyman Prieto's bill to Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver.